Device for emitting a light beam and light, especially for an automotive vehicle, comprising said device

ABSTRACT

A device for emitting a light beam, comprising a lens and means for producing a cut-off line in the beam, said device being configured to allow a position of the cut-off line to be adjusted in a given direction, especially vertically, depending on an angular position of the lens about a hinge axis, the lens comprising what is called an optical part for transmission of the beam the and a part that hinges in rotation about said hinge axis, said hinge part and said optical part being made of an integral piece of material. 
     The invention also relates to a light, especially for an automotive vehicle, comprising said emitting device.

The present invention relates to a device for emitting a light beam anda light, especially for an automotive vehicle, comprising said device.

Lights are known allowing a light beam that is bounded by a cut-off lineat a certain level above ground level to be produced. Said cut-off lineis produced using masks and/or reflectors.

In order to ensure that the beam is neither too high nor too low, it isnecessary for adjustment of the vertical position of said cut-off lineto be possible. To make this adjustment, devices are employed that allowthe masks or reflectors, movable by design, to be moved.

This being so, the use of hinged masks or reflectors has certaindrawbacks and it is advantageous to provide solutions employing othermovable members.

The invention therefore provides a device for emitting a light beam,comprising a lens and means for producing a cut-off line in the beam,said device being configured to allow a position of said cut-off line tobe adjusted in a given direction, especially vertically, depending on anangular position of said lens about a hinge axis, said lens comprisingwhat is called an optical part for transmission of the beam and a partthat hinges in rotation about said hinge axis.

Thus, a beam-emitting device is obtained that does not depend on hingedmasks or reflectors to position the cut-off line of the beam.

Said optical part and said hinge part are advantageously made of thesame material.

Advantageously, said hinge part and said optical part are made of anintegral piece of material. The lens may thus be a single moulded part.This also improves the precision with which the emitting device can bemounted.

In various embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together orseparately:

-   -   said device comprises a light source, especially a        light-emitting diode;    -   said lens and said light source are arranged in order to form        said cut-off line;    -   said hinge axis substantially passes through said light source;    -   said lens has a focal point at said light source;    -   said optical part extends from arms of said hinge part while        getting radially further away from said hinge axis;    -   said arms comprise swivels for hinging the lens about said hinge        axis;    -   said hinge part comprises means for driving said lens in        rotation;    -   said driving means comprise at least one ribbed fork intended to        interact with an adjusting screw oriented transversely and        especially orthogonally to said rotation axis;    -   said driving means are positioned on either side of said optical        part, along said hinge axis;    -   said device comprises a fixed holder for said lens;    -   said fixed holder comprises arms for the hinging of said lens in        rotation;    -   said holder comprises an electronic control board through which        said hinge arms extend radially towards said hinge axis; and    -   said control board is radially offset relative to said light        source.

The invention also relates to a light, especially for an automotivevehicle, comprising the emitting device described above. Said light forexample comprises a casing taking the form of a substantiallycylindrical jacket.

Said casing comprises an internal face that may be equipped with ribsfor guiding said hinge arms of the holder.

Said internal face of the casing advantageously comprises ribs forsnap-fastening said hinge part of the lens.

According to one aspect of the invention, said casing is configured toallow said holder to be rear-mounted. In one variant, said casing isconfigured to allow said casing to be front-mounted, especially alongthe orientation of said guiding and/or snap-fastening ribs provided onsaid casing.

Said light may be a fog light, emitting a beam with a linear cut-off,intended to be an upper horizontal cut-off line when the light is inoperation, although this application must in no way be considered aslimiting.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent onreading the following detailed description which will be betterunderstood with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view that shows a first embodiment ofthe emitting device and the light according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the light in FIG. 1, illustratedassembled;

FIG. 3 is an identical view to FIG. 1 illustrating a variant embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a vertical diametral plane throughthe light in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a horizontal diametral plane throughthe light in FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device for emitting a light beamaccording to the invention comprises at least one lens 1 and means forproducing a cut-off line in the beam. By this it will be understood thatsaid device allows a truncated light beam, or a light beam that at thevery least exhibits a very rapid decrease in emitted luminosity below acertain level corresponding to said cut-off line, to be emitted. For thesake of simplicity, the beam may be considered to be limited under aplane, especially one intended to be substantially horizontal and to belocated at a certain height above ground level.

According to the invention, said device is configured to allow aposition of said beam cut-off to be adjusted in a given direction,especially the vertical direction, depending on an angular position ofsaid lens 1 about a hinge axis 3 intended to be oriented along the Y-Yaxis of the vehicle equipped with said device. Still according to theinvention, to allow this adjustment to be carried out, said lens 1comprises what is called an optical part 4 for transmission of the beamand a part 5 that hinges in rotation about said hinge axis 3.

A solution is thus obtained by virtue of which adjustment of the cut-offline is carried out by actuating a member, namely the lens 1, servingfor transmission of the beam.

Said optical part 4 and said hinge part 5 are advantageously made of thesame material. Advantageously, said hinge part 5 and said optical part 4are made of an integral piece of material. The lens may thus be a singlemoulded part.

Said device furthermore comprises a light source 6 especially alight-emitting diode, placed upstream of said lens 1 along an opticalaxis of said device.

Said cut-off line is obtained here by a mutual arrangement of said lens1 and of said light source 6, as is known in particular from documentsEP 1 762 776, especially the embodiments corresponding to FIGS. 11 andfollowing, and/or EP 1 970 619, especially the embodiment in FIG. 1.

Advantageously, said hinge axis 3 substantially passes through saidlight source 6. Said lens 1 will furthermore have a focal point at saidlight source 6. A beam is thus obtained the characteristics of which donot vary as a function of the angular position of the lens 1 and whichtherefore do not depend on the position of the cut-off line.

Said optical part 4 extends, for example, from arms 7 of said hinge part5 while getting radially further away from said hinge axis 3. In otherwords, said lens 1 comprises sides extending towards said hinge axis 3from a frontal zone 8 of said lens 1, said frontal zone 8 being the partof said lens 1 located furthest from said hinge axis 3. Said opticalpart 4 of the lens 1 in particular extends to said frontal zone 8.

Said arms 7 are located on either side of said optical part 4, along thedirection of said hinge axis 3. They for example comprise swivels 9 forhinging the lens 1 about said hinge axis 3. Said swivels 9 arecylindrical in shape and are oriented along said hinge axis 3. Saiddevice is configured to allow said swivels 9 to rotate on themselvesabout said hinge axis 3 and, therefore, the entire lens 1 to rotateabout the same axis.

Between said swivels 9 said lens 1 leaves a free space where said lightsource 6 can be housed level with said hinge axis 3, as described above.

Said hinge part 4 furthermore here comprises means for driving said lens1 in rotation. Said driving means for example comprise at least one fork11 comprising ribs intended to interact with an adjusting screw 12 thatis oriented transversely and especially orthogonally to said rotationaxis 3 and/or to said ribs. Said adjusting screw 12 will be described inmore detail below.

Here, said forks 11 emerge from said swivels 9. They comprise lateralsides 13 radially oriented relative to the rotation axis. Said lateralsides 13 of the forks 11 are equipped with ribs 14 located mutuallyfacing on each of said lateral sides 13. Said ribs 14 thus define acounterpart to a thread 15 located on said adjusting screw 12. Said ribs14 advantageously extend radially and/or lie parallel to one another.

Said forks 11 will furthermore advantageously comprise a tab 16 (FIGS. 4and 5) located, especially centred, between their radial sides 13. Saidtab 16 for example extends radially and serves as a radial stop for theadjusting screw 12.

Said driving means are advantageously positioned on either side of saidoptical part 4 of the lens 1, along said hinge axis 3. In other words,here a fork 11 such as described above is provided for each swivel 9. Inthis way an emitting device that can be used in lights intended to belocated either on the right-hand side or the left-hand side of a vehicleis obtained via symmetrical placement of the adjusting screw.

Said device may furthermore comprise a fixed holder 17 for holding saidlens 1. Said fixed holder 17 here comprising arms 18 enabling therotational hinging of said lens 1. Said arms 18 are intended to interactwith said hinge part 5 of the lens 1, in particular said swivels 9, inorder to provide said lens 1 with a degree of rotational freedom aboutsaid hinge axis 3 under the action of the adjusting screw 12. Said arms18 emerge radially from a base part 19 of said fixed holder 17 and theyhave a forked distal end 20 oriented radially so as to receive saidswivels 9 while leaving them free to rotate about said hinge axis 3.

Said fixed holder 17 here furthermore comprises an electronic controlboard 21 located facing said base part 19 of said holder 17. Said board21 especially serves to control said light source 6. Said hinge arms 18of the fixed holder 17 lie on either side of said board 21, along saidhinge axis 3.

Said control board 21 is advantageously radially offset along therotation axis, i.e. here, along the longitudinal overall emission axisOA of the light source, relative to said light source 6. In other words,said light source 6 is a raised relative to said control board 21. It isthus easier to make said hinge axis 3 pass through said light source 6.

More precisely, here said light source 6 is located on a specificelectronic board 22 of said device and said board 22 is raised relativeto said control board 21, along said hinge axis 3. Said specific board22 is, for example, an IMS board whereas said control board 21 is, forexample, a board such as an FR4 board. Said specific board 22 is borneby said control board 21.

Said emitting device will furthermore possibly comprise a heat sink 23provided behind said base part 19 of said fixed holder 17 and/or a sheetof adhesive material 40 allowing said control board 21 to be fastened tosaid base part 19 of said holder. Said heat sink 23 is more particularlyin heat exchange relationship with said specific board 22.

This being so, the invention also relates to a light comprising saidemitting device.

Said light comprises a casing 50 defining a housing 52 for said emittingdevice. Conventionally, said light may furthermore comprise a frontglass 54 and optionally a style part or mask 56 located between saidfront glass 54 and said lens 1, along the optical axis of said emittingdevice.

Here said light furthermore comprises an annular seal 58 intended toseal said fixed holder 17 and said casing 50. It may also comprise anaerating device 57 allowing the housing 52 to be brought intocommunication with the exterior.

Said light also comprises said adjusting screw 12. Here the lattercomprises a head 60 allowing it to be handled, a rod 62 extendingaxially from said head 60 and, along said rod 62, said thread 15 that isintended to interact with said ribs 14 of the lens 1. Said thread 15 isconfigured to allow said lens 1 to be rotated in an angular range, forexample of +/−5°.

In one possible embodiment, said fixed holder 17 may comprise an open orclosed outline, namely it may respectively comprise an indent 90, as forexample illustrated in FIG. 1, or a through-hole 92, as for exampleillustrated in FIG. 3. The indent 90 and the through-hole 92 arearranged so as to allow the fork 11 of the hinge part to pass, and aresufficiently wide to provide clearance for the passage of the fork 11 ofthe hinge part. This allows the lens to be longitudinally mounted intothe casing and through the holder.

The fork 11 of the hinge part may be made to extend sufficiently throughthe indent 90 or through-hole 92 for the adjusting screw 62 to hingewith the fork 11 of the hinge part behind said fixed holder. Thus,compactness is increased, which is particularly advantageous in the caseof a fog light.

It is possible to produce the indent 90 or through-hole 92 in the fixedholder 17 between the hinge arms 18 of the fixed holder 17. Thispossibility is not limited to the illustrated examples.

Said casing 50 comprises at least one well 64 for the passage of saidadjusting screw 12, here two so that said light can be used in either aright-hand or left-hand position, as described above. Said adjustingscrew 12 comprises means 66, known to those skilled in the art, allowingit to hinge via a pivot connection in said wells 64.

Said casing 50 for example takes the form of a substantially cylindricaljacket. The said one or more wells 64 for the passage of the adjustingscrews 12 are substantially oriented along two parallel chords insidesaid jacket.

Said casing 50 comprises an internal face 59 equipped with ribs 70 forguiding said hinge arms 18 of the fixed holder 17. Said guiding ribs 70contribute to the fastening of said fixed holder 17 in said casing 50,via said hinge arms 18 of the fixed holder 17.

Said internal face 59 of the casing 50 may furthermore comprise ribs 72(not shown in FIG. 1) for snap-fastening said hinge part 5 of the lens 1and in particular said swivels 9. Said snap-fastening ribs 72 areconfigured to allow a pivot connection between said lens 1 and saidcasing 50.

1. A device for emitting a light beam, comprising a lens and means forproducing a cut-off line in the light beam, said device being configuredto allow a position of said cut-off line to be adjusted in a givendirection, especially vertically, depending on an angular position ofsaid lens about a hinge axis, said lens comprising an optical part fortransmission of the light beam and a hinge part that hinges in rotationabout said hinge axis, said hinge part and said optical part being madeof an integral piece of material.
 2. The device according to claim 1, inwhich a light source of said device and said lens are arranged in orderto form said cut-off line.
 3. The device according to claim 2, in whichsaid hinge axis substantially passes through said light source.
 4. Thedevice according to claim 3, in which said light source is alight-emitting diode.
 5. The device according to claim 3, in which saidlens has a focal point at said light source.
 6. The device according toclaim 1, in which said optical part extends from arms of said hinge partwhile getting radially further away from said hinge axis.
 7. The deviceaccording to claim 6, in which said arms comprise swivels for hingingsaid lens about said hinge axis.
 8. The device according to claim 1, inwhich said hinge part comprises means for driving said lens in rotation.9. The device according to claim 8 in which said driving means compriseat least one fork equipped with ribs intended to interact with anadjusting screw oriented orthogonally to said rotation axis.
 10. Thedevice according to claim 9, in which said driving means are positionedon either side of said optical part along said hinge axis.
 11. Thedevice according to claim 4, comprising a fixed holder for holding saidlens, said fixed holder comprising arms for the hinging of said lens inrotation.
 12. The device according to claim 11, in which said fixedholder comprises an electronic control board through which said hingearms extend radially towards said hinge axis, said control board beingradially offset relative to said light source.
 13. A light, especiallyfor an automotive vehicle, comprising a device for emitting a lightbeam, comprising a lens and means for producing a cut-off line in thelight beam, said device being configured to allow a position of saidcut-off line to be adjusted in a given direction, especially vertically,depending on an angular position of said lens about a hinge axis, saidlens comprising an optical part for transmission of the light beam and ahinge part that hinges in rotation about said hinge axis, said hingepart and said optical part being made of an integral piece of material;in which said light source is a light-emitting diode; said devicefurther comprising a fixed holder for holding said lens, said fixedholder comprising arms for the hinging of said lens in rotation.
 14. Thelight according to claim 13, comprising a casing taking the form of asubstantially cylindrical jacket, said casing comprising an internalface equipped with ribs for guiding said hinge arms of said fixedholder.
 15. The light according to claim 14, in which said internal faceof said casing comprises ribs for snap-fastening said hinge part of saidlens.
 16. The device according to claim 4, in which said lens has afocal point at said light source.
 17. The device according to claim 2,in which said optical part extends from arms of said hinge part whilegetting radially further away from said hinge axis.
 18. The deviceaccording to claim 2, in which said hinge part comprises means fordriving said lens in rotation.
 19. The device according to claim 5,comprising a fixed holder for holding said lens, said fixed holdercomprising arms for the hinging of said lens in rotation.
 20. The deviceaccording to claim 6, comprising a fixed holder for holding said lens,said fixed holder comprising arms for the hinging of said lens inrotation.
 21. A light, especially for an automotive vehicle, comprisinga device for emitting a light beam, comprising a lens and means forproducing a cut-off line in the light beam, said device being configuredto allow a position of said cut-off line to be adjusted in a givendirection, especially vertically, depending on an angular position ofsaid lens about a hinge axis, said lens comprising an optical part fortransmission of the light beam and a hinge part that hinges in rotationabout said hinge axis, said hinge part and said optical part being madeof an integral piece of material; in which said lens has a focal pointat said light source; said device further comprising a fixed holder forholding said lens, said fixed holder comprising arms for the hinging ofsaid lens in rotation.
 22. A light, especially for an automotivevehicle, comprising a device for emitting a light beam, comprising alens and means for producing a cut-off line in the light beam, saiddevice being configured to allow a position of said cut-off line to beadjusted in a given direction, especially vertically, depending on anangular position of said lens about a hinge axis, said lens comprisingan optical part for transmission of the light beam and a hinge part thathinges in rotation about said hinge axis, said hinge part and saidoptical part being made of an integral piece of material, in which afixed holder comprises an electronic control board through which hingearms extend radially towards said hinge axis, said electronic controlboard being radially offset relative to said light.